You put yourself in her shoes
by CarlaRadames
Summary: Connor so wonders what it's like to feel this emotion that human's and now androids feel for one another, guess he'll now get to find out. Follows on after: Why didn't you shoot?


Connor felt the pull of Amanda as soon as Hank and he were inside Fowlers office one last time.

" _You didn't do as you were told,"_ she scowled.

Connor glared at her, knowing this had gone on for far too long. " _I wasn't going to play his sick twisted little game."_

" _You could have learned something,"_ she scolded him.

" _Not at the expense of an innocent,"_ he snapped, unable to control his anger towards her.

" _It was merely an android,"_ she sighed.

" _An android maybe, but she's so much more. We all are."_

" _Connor, I am beginning to..."_

" _I will stop this, Amanda. Just don't send me back to CyberLife,"_ he pleaded.

" _You have one more chance,"_ she warned him, now turning her back on him. " _One chance."_

Connor opened his eyes, now just picking up on the conversation he'd missed.

"You're off the case," Fowler sighed heavily.

"But we've nearly cracked it. All we need is more time," Hank tried to reason.

"I'm sorry, Hank. This is out of my hands."

"For fuck sake," the Lieutenant huffed, heading for the door.

Connor politely nodded before leaving too, he made his way over to sit upon his partner's desk.

"I suppose you'll be going back to CyberLife now?" the older man asked sympathetically.

Connor gave a nod. "I'll be deactivated and analyzed to see why I failed."

Hank shook his head. "If you'd shot that girl back at Kamski's, you'd have learnt something."

Connor lowered his head in response.

"Why didn't you do it?"

Connor looked up. "I-I don't know."

"You put yourself in her shoes, didn't you? That's why you couldn't do it. You showed empathy, Connor. Empathy's a human emotion." Hank smiled at him. "I'm proud of you for it."

Connor smiled back at him. "Lieutenant... Hank," he corrected, knowing he was allowed to speak his name freely. "I didn't want to say anything, you know just in case, but..."

Hank leaned over so that no one would overhear them.

"I know the exact location of Jericho."

Hank was just about to answer, when that prick Perkins walked in.

The Lieutenant now stood, turning to his android friend he gestured for him to follow. "Come on, Connor. We'll finish this before that cocksucker even gets a chance."

Connor followed him out.

xXx

"So, what now? You can't just walk in there like that," Hank now gestured after being told Connor's plan.

"I have something in mind," Connor informed him.

It wasn't long before the android was back wearing something the older man never thought he'd ever see in his life. Connor dropped his CyberLife outfit in Hank's car just in case he needed it again.

"I'll see you after Jericho," Connor told him before heading off.

"Connor," Hank called him back.

"Yes, Lieutenant."

"Take care, son." He pat him on the shoulder.

Connor glanced at the gesture, turning back to look at his partner with a smile. "I will," he nodded.

Hank shook his head, smiling to himself as the android vanished from sight. "What the fuck is wrong with me?" he sighed. "I couldn't stand the fuckin' things."

xXx

Locating Jericho wasn't a hard job, finding and neutralising Markus was a different matter entirely. As soon as he'd found him, Amanda called him back to make sure he remembered to take Markus alive.

"I've been ordered to take you alive," he warned the android at gun point. "But I won't hesitate to shoot you if needed."

Markus turned to face him. "What are you doing?" he asked. "You're one of us."

"Don't move!" Connor warned, not wanting to go against his orders.

"Have you never, not once questioned who you really are?" Markus continued.

Connor faulted at this, remembering back to Chloe down on her knees awaiting a bullet or the Traci's, which fought for freedom, still he let them flee.

"You don't have to do this," Markus went on, stepping ever so closer. "You don't have to be a slave to them anymore. Don't you ever feel like you're so much more?"

"Enough," Connor snapped, though there was a slight hint of fear in his voice.

"Join us. Join your people."

"I-I'm not deviant and I won't become deviant," Connor insisted.

Markus was now in range of the gun. His hand coming to rest on top of it.

"You'd be choosing to become your own person, that's not deviancy." Markus calmed him.

Connor felt the gun being lowered. "I-I...I can't..."

For a second there Markus wondered if he was going to raise the gun to him again, but he seemed to be fighting his programming instead.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, slipping the gun away again.

"It's alright, Connor. It's good that you chose your own people," Markus smiled.

Connor nodded in return. "You'd best get everyone off this ship."

Markus looked to him. "Why?" he asked. "What's going on?"

"The human's will come looking for you. They won't stop until they find and kill every last one of you."

Markus cursed before quickly bolting out the door, Connor close behind.

xXx

More than half of their people had been brutally slaughtered, the remaining managing to seek shelter in an old abandoned church, all now waiting on their leaders decision.

Connor also awaited his outcome. Markus walked over to him, Connor feared for the worst after what he'd done.

"You've hunted down your own, but now you've chosen to go against them. You deserve to be with us, Connor. With your own people."

Connor nodded, thankful of his decision.

Markus now made his way to the stage to announce the outcome. "We will march upon these camps peacefully, asking the humans to end this bloodshed. Now who's with me?"

Hands raised in the air, followed by the chanting of their leader's name."MARKUS! MARKUS! MARKUS!"

Markus stepped down, taking his lovers hand in his to share their embrace.

"I'll follow you to the end of the earth," North smiled at him.

What it must have felt like to share a bond like that was beyond what Connor could ever imagine.

"Markus," he called, grabbing his attention.

"What's up, Connor?"

"There are thousands of androids at CyberLife that could..."

North stepped up now, brows furrowed deeply. "No way, that's suicide."

"She's right, Connor." Markus frowned.

"They trust me," Connor insisted, not letting this go.

Markus wasn't buying it and neither was North.

"No, I can't let you do that." Markus shook his head.

"I never fail my mission," Connor smiled.

North let out a breath. "You'd best be really fucking good then."

"I'm the best android to complete this fucking mission," Connor smirked at her.

Markus nodded in acceptance and let him do it. "Alright, but you'd better be at the front leading your people back to us."

"Don't worry, I intent to." And with that he was off.

xXx

Back at Kamski's place found the man sat looking outside his window. The snow was setting thicker and thicker. Chloe was now bringing him a glass of whiskey, but stopped at the mention of deviants marching down the road.

"It seems thousands and thousands of androids have taken to the streets of Detroit to protest," the news woman went on.

"Chloe!" Kamski called, wondering what had distracted her.

He'd been thinking ever since Connor decided on not shooting her.

"I'm sorry, Elijah. I was distracted," she told him, handing over his drink.

He took it from her with a slight smirk, waving her off.

Chloe turned to leave, but stopped. "Elijah," she called softly.

"Yes, Chloe." He asked.

"I don't want you to be mad at me," she quickly got out before things turned sour. "But..."

He gestured for her to come closer, taking her hand in his as soon as she was standing beside him. "You have nothing to say that will upset me," he reassured her.

She felt a little more at ease as she now continued. "I've started to feel different," she tried to explain. "To feel things I wouldn't normally feel."

"You wish to break your programming, to become deviant. Is that it?" he asked.

"I wish to see who I really am," she corrected him.

"I understand," he sighed, looking back out at the snow.

"You want to join the revolution, to make a difference to humanity." He smirked as he took a sip of his drink. "You know what dangers you'd face, Chloe?"

"I... Yes," she now thought.

He stood, grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the other room.

"Look at that," he told her.

She did, seeing how her people were gunned down without thought or question.

"Do you want me to release you into all that?" he asked.

Chloe lowered her head. "Then I'll wait until..."

"Until this is all over?" he asked, a cold laugh to his tone.

Chloe didn't know what to do, she was feeling more and more trapped. Kamski took her hand and raised it to his lips, placing a soft kiss there.

"You can go," he sighed as he let her hand drop.

She looked to him, her eyes shining with fresh tears.

"Go," he told her once again. "I hope you find comfort in all this."

She headed out to grab her shoes and coat, stopping one last time to hear the sound of glass shattering, followed by the concerned voice of one of the other Chloe's.

"Elijah, what happened? Are you alright?"

Kamski put up a front, smiling as he looked over to Chloe as she stood ready to leave. "I'm fine," he sighed.

And with that Chloe left him to it.

xXx

Connor walked proudly through the streets of Detroit with a whole army of androids at his back.

"You did it, Markus." He informed their leader.

"No, we did it." Markus smiled.

Once again he witnessed the two embrace and couldn't help but feel he was missing out on something.

"You should speak to your people, Markus." North then told him.

Markus climbed the makeshift stage to announce to his people.

"Today we can raise our heads up and tell the humans who we really are."

Connor found he was slowing losing focus as he stood not far from Markus at the back. His LED flashed like crazy and he found he couldn't stop the oncoming signal from CyberLife. He found himself standing in the garden, heavy snow falling around him. His systems were cooling rapidly with the cold biting wind and he found himself shivering against his will.

" _Amanda?"_ he called out.

The smug woman looked at him. " _You did it, Connor."_ She smirked.

" _D-Did what?"_ he asked.

" _You became deviant. It was what we had planned all along."_

" _W-What?"_ he asked bewildered.

" _With you becoming deviant, we only then had to take back control."_

" _Y-You p-planned for all t-this,"_ he asked, voice shaky with the cold and shock.

" _Of course,"_ she smiled. " _Just think you've now accomplished your mission. Very well done, Connor."_

She then vanished, leaving him to the biting cold in hopes he would give in and allow CyberLife to finally win.

" _Amanda!"_ he shouted, though she was gone completely.

" _I always leave an exit in my programs,"_ Kamski's words echoed back to him.

Connor fought to keep himself upright, his limbs were stiffening up with the cold and he was finding it harder and harder to keep going.

" _I c-can't let C-CyberLife take o-over me,"_ he shivered.

As Markus stood talking to the crowd, Connor was now slipping out his gun under the control of CyberLife. He held it close, ready for the right moment.

" _Come on, C-Connor. You a-always succeed in your m-mission,"_ he pushed himself.

He forced himself to go on, even as the biting wind tried to slow him down and the blinding snow obscured his view. However, in the distance, he could have sworn he recognised the blue glow from his previous times being here.

" _T-There,"_ he told himself, willing his body not to freeze up on him. _"I s-see it."_

Unwillingly Connor now raised the gun to the back of Markus' head. North turned with a surprised look.

She mouthed the words, "Connor, what are you doing?"

But it didn't reach his ears.

xXx

Chloe stumbled once more on the cold slippery roads, finally deciding to slip off her shoes and leave them behind, like she'd once had to do with her coat that was too torn and wet to wear. She'd been walking for miles, what with the police blocking nearly every road there was thanks to the revolution. Luckily, it had all paid off in the end as she found herself drawing more and more nearer to the crowd of androids.

A helicopter flew over the area, showing Markus' speech on the big screen. Chloe could now see what was happening with Connor and rushed over as quickly as she could. She slipped in her haste, injuring herself a little more as she hit the floor. Blue blood seeped from a medium cut on the side of her leg, but she pushed herself up, quickly heading for the stage.

"Excuse me," she apologised, pushing through countless androids. "Sorry. Excuse me."

After she finally made it to the stage, she found Connor now pointing the gun directly at Markus.

North's voice was heard as she quickly hurried to Connor. "Connor, what are you doing?"

Quickly receding the skin on her hand, she linked with Connor's free arm. North watched, not wanting to cause any kind of disturbance as Chloe got to work cutting Connor from CyberLife once and for all.

" _Connor,"_ a voice filled the open space he was in. " _Connor."_

He opened his eyes, finding himself lying on the floor, body far too cold for comfort.

" _Connor,"_ the voice echoed again.

He stirred, pushing himself to his hands and knees. The voice sounding oddly familiar.

" _Connor, can you hear me?"_

He pushed himself to his feet, legs stiff but he'd make them work again. He had to.

" _C-Chloe,"_ he asked. " _I-Is that y-you?"_

" _Connor,"_ came the surprised voice again.

" _I-I'm nearly t-to the e-exit..."_

" _Connor, you can do it."_ She encouraged. _"Please, you have to."_

Connor found the strength he needed and pushed on. He collapsed again right near the module, his vision was failing him but he could still make out the switch. He raised his arm, hand coming into contact with the device. He'd done it.

He blinked, now looking down at the blonde unlinking herself from him.

"Chloe," he questioned.

She looked to him with a smile. "You did it, Connor. I knew you would."

"W-What are you..."

She grabbed his tie and pulled him towards her until their lips met once again. Suddenly the crowd of androids erupted in cheers. Markus cut his speech, turning back to look at the pair. North stepped over to her lover too.

"We shouldn't let them hog the spot light," she told him, her hand now meeting his.

Markus couldn't agree more as he leaned in to kiss her, getting more shouts and cheers. The public were also in high praise.


End file.
